Beauty and the Beast. (Negan.)

13.

"Are you number nine?"

Blake looked up from the bowl of oatmeal Negan had got for her, startled at the sudden appearance of the woman beside her.

She was currently sitting in an emptying canteen eating breakfast while Negan was taking care of some business.

She was slim with long brown hair and had one of the kindest looked faces that she had seen in this place. She was staring at Blake with a soft, almost concerned gaze.

"Number nine?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said quietly, sitting down across the table from her after casting a wary look around, as if she was looking for someone, "I'm Sherry. One of Negan's wives."

The mouthful of oatmeal suddenly got lodged in Blake's throat and she choked on it slightly.

"Oh god," Sherry whispered, moving so she was sitting beside her and started rubbing her back.

"One of?" Blake coughed, "What? He has eight women?"

Sherry's eyes widened as she realised that the woman in front of her had no idea what she was talking to and immediately felt anger towards Negan, the man she was forced to call her husband at the fact that he hadn't so much mentioned them to her. She had no idea what she was getting into.

Taking another glance around, Sherry grabbed Blake's wrist, "Come with me. You have to know."

With her ankle not hurting her as much today, Blake managed to keep up with her as she darted through empty corridors and up stairs to one of the uppermost floors.

"Where are we going?" she asked as Sherry came to a halt outside double doors.

"He didn't show you this on his tour, did he?" she whispered, pushing them open.

The room, it was like a boudoir in the way it was decorated. The finest lights and paintings hung on the walls and ceilings. Blake then turned her attention to the seven other women who were all lounging around inside; each and every one of them dressed in the prettiest dresses or the skimpiest lingerie.

"This is where we stay," Sherry said softly, "I just think that you should know what he does before you got into anything with Negan."

"You...you all chose to do this?" Blake asked, not looking at any of the women who were looking at her with pity.

"Some, yes." Sherry said, "But not most. Most of us did it to protect the ones we love. Negan saw us, liked us, wanted us. And Negan always gets what he wants."

Blake wanted to feel angry. Furious even but all she really felt, was stupid.

She had fell for it, felt as if he had only wanted her but after he had...pursued her in Alexandria, he'd come back here and do...stuff with these other women.

~*~

Negan was in his office with some of the men, drawing up some plans for the next few weeks.

"Negan," Simon said, coming through the door.

He didn't even look up, "What?"

"Sherry's with Blake." he said timidly, stepping back when Negan pinned his harsh glare on him.

"Fuck," he muttered, shoving the plans to the closest person, "I'll be back."

He knew where Sherry would take her, to get the best reaction from her. She had hated him since he had burnt Dwight's face and threatened to kill him. That was the only reason that she's his wife. To protect him.